Meter-lock.



I. W. NORGROSS.

METER LOOK.

urmonmn nun NOV. 15, 1909.

9 4 1 a Patented July 19, 1910.

rns NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsnmn-rcu, n. a

ISAAC W. NOB/CROSS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METER-LOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC W. NOROROSS, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Meter-Lock, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to sealed locks for electric and other metershaving removable incasements and the object of my improve ment is todetect and expose surreptitious and unauthorized openings of the metersthrough the destruction of the seals. I attain these results by thedevice illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is afront view of an incased meter with lock arms engaged and sealed. Fig. 2is an end view of the lock arms on an enlarged scale with one lock armin cross section. Fig. 3 is a cross section of a central portion of thelock arms engaged with the soft metal parts introduced preparatory tobeing sealed. Fig. 4 is a cross section of a modified form of lock armwhich can be ap plied to both right and left studs by simply reversingit. Fig. 5 shows a cross section of the overlapping ends when applied asabove stated and locked and sealed.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Fig. 1 shows a form of electric meter in general use which consists ofthe meter mechanism built on and made a part of the base 3 and 3 and theouter incasement 2 and 2 with two threaded studs extending through thesame sufliciently far enough to allow the threaded ends of the lock arms5 and 5 to engage and screw down to the incasement. When the lock arms 5and 5 are screwed down to a point which will clamp the outer case 2 and2 (the incasement as I have termed it) to its proper position, the freeends, 6 and 6 (which are tongued and grooved) are engaged so as to admitthe soft metal parts and allow the various members to be interlocked asshown in Fig. 3. The soft metal parts 7 and 7 are made of leadpreferably and are the usual form of rivet and washer with the openingin the washer countersunk to allow the upset of the rivet point tospread and form the lock. In sealing the lock pressure is brought tobear on the soft metal parts by which they are swaged and compressedinto the form shown at 7 and '7 in Fig. 2. At the same timeSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 15, 1909.

Patented July 19, 1910. Serial No. 528,218.

letters or figures can be impressed on the upper and lower faces of theseal, see '7 Fig. 1, making it necessary to forge and counterfeit thesame to surreptitiously open and close the meter.

In Fig. 4 (5) I show a modified form of lock arm which can be used onboth right and left studs and made to overlap at an intermediate centralpoint and admit a soft metal seal, see 5 and 5 Fig. 5. In this form ofseal I dispense with the washer and rely upon the swaging of the rivetpoint at 7 to complete the look.

In applying my improvement it will be seen that an accurate spacing ofthe threaded studs is not necessary as the interlocking and overlappingends of the two forms of lock arms can always be adjusted at anintermediate central point to receive the soft metal seal even thoughthe spaces between the studs vary somewhat. This enables me to apply myinvention to many meters now in use without alterations or changes. Itis inexpensive to manufacture being composed of a few simple partseasily cast from ordinary metals.

I am aware that prior to my invention that meters in combination withremovable incasements and projecting studs have been in general use andI therefore do not clailn any part of such as mine,

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a meter look, a fixed base having a removable incasement withthreaded studs projecting from said base and through said incasement, incombination with adjustable lock arms engaging said projecting studs andhaving interlocking ends with openings to admit a soft metal seal at anintermediate central point substantially as herein set forth anddescribed.

2. In a meter look, a fixed base having a removable incasement withthreaded studs projecting from said base and through said incasement, incombination with adjustable lock arms engaging said projecting studs andhaving overlapping ends with openings to admit a soft metal seal at anintermediate central point substantially as herein set forth anddescribed.

ISAAC W. NORGROSS. l/Vitnesses:

J. W. HERRMANN, F. P. CUPPERMANN.

